what is a cooking essay

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The Art of Cooking: A student explains the benefits and pleasures of cooking.

Cooking is an art that encompasses the world. It requires passion, precision, and most of all, love. The culinary arts are a complex mixture of balancing a variety of tastes and aromas, combined with beautiful plating. Cooking allows the artistic side of anyone to come alive. Cooking is an essential skill that all people should know how to do on a basic level. Whether it is a simple breakfast of cereal or a complex five-course dinner, cooking will always be a relevant skill. Preparing and then sharing meals is also a great way to bond and grow relationships. The dinner table hosts a multitude of conversations. Many bonds are formed over good food. Enjoying food with another person is an amazing way to get to know them as well as a way to find out about their interests.

Some of the benefits of cooking are nutrition, saving money, and learning an essential skill. Quality of cooking is important for nutrition as well as the proper mixture of vegetables, proteins, grains, and fats. Learning how to cook is also not a time-consuming skill to learn. In all honesty, if you know how to read and follow directions, you could likely do a great impression of Gordon Ramsey. Following a few recipes is a great gateway into learning about cooking styles and how to mix flavors together to create a dish. Saving money is essential to life; many people often spend a lot of money by ordering food from restaurants. By grocery shopping and prepping meals, you will be able to save a lot of money that would have gone to restaurants. Meals are going to be more cost-efficient and could also boost morale as a completed task.

Cooking plays a large part in mental health and psychology. Cooking and baking are considered therapeutic because they are “behavioral activations” (Conner et al., 2016). Daily creative activities have been shown to boost happiness in people. Cooking not only boosts mental health, but it plays a part in boosting self-esteem and helps with focusing. The busy work that it takes to cook allows many people peace of mind and is a stress reliever.

Cooking is an art that transcends basic nutrition and becomes an art form. Cooks can dress a plate with vibrant colors and an assortment of flavors and aromas. TV shows like “Iron Chef” and “Chopped” take various chefs from across the country and judge their ability to make quality food, but also judge on their presentation. The presentation of food is another aspect that makes cooking enjoyable. Presentation aids in making the food’s aesthetic more desirable and enjoyable.

Cooking has been a lifelong art that has many beneficial effects. Cooking can be used to bring people together for the sake of enjoying food. Cooking is the mediator for a lot of relationships and is often a setting for people to converse. By learning to cook, you can save money and create quality meals. The art of cooking is the many aspects it has in daily life as well as the joy it brings to those it touches.

Essays on Cooking

Composing a cooking essay is a fun way to learn more about cuisine, its history, and modern techniques. Food is the basic human need, and people have been cooking food since the dawn of time. Cooking essays often take notice of the fact that cooking underwent much change with time. Over the centuries, coking evolved alongside culture, as each nation has developed its own gastronomic tastes, preferences, and ways of cooking food, making culinary an integral part of the culture. Cooking is not the same today as it was in the old times – in the past, people ate simple foods, but now cooking became a lot more artful. Get to know other people’s ideas on cooking by studying their essays – take a look at cooking essay samples below. Studying samples of many essays on cooking can help you be more creative with your own essay.

I enjoy looking at things from the past and finding a deeper meaning about life. In this essay, you will learn about my passion for cooking, my interest in Italian culture, and my love for Education. My passion for cooking began when my Mom started teaching me different recipes that...

After learning that cooking an egg entails denaturing of its proteins content After learning that cooking an egg entails denaturing of its proteins content, I would like to innovate an egg cooking method that does not use any source of heat. The ingredients needed In this case, the ingredients that are required comprise...

Melinda, Anne Mills. ""Cooking with Love": Food, Gender, and Power." Anthropology Theses (2010). :http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/anthro_theses . The source explores the relationship between women, food, and power. The text illustrates women who engage in performances of various roles such as cooking which they are expected to accomplish as expected by the community....

Words: 1379

Food: An Integral Factor in Human Survival Food is considered to be an integral factor in the survival of human beings and animals. If anything, it is in matters regarding food that both formal and informal settings are set. I am Chinese and it is not hard to notice how much...

Cutting fruit or vegetables with thin skins____________ Type of cut Description and notes Draw your observations Cut through the surface, not too deep at different places with both tools. How clean is the cut for the stone relative to the steel? Does is look smooth or jagged? The cut with steel looks...

Green scallions or eggs are options for toppings. acted as:Cup Noodles and Cooked Noodles Wet Noodles Chapagetti accompanied by cucumber rings to boost the nutritional content. Ramen Tonkotsu Served with broth that has a poultry flavor. Toppings: uncooked yolks Slices of chicken Chinese food Slices of ginger are included. The purpose of the garnishes is to increase flavor, add nutrition, and...

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Food plays a significant role in human life on a daily basis because it is both required and comforting. In addition to serving nutritional functions, it is crucial for a person's physical and mental growth. People communicate over meals by exchanging food recipes on trending subjects and participating in cooking...

Words: 2370

Japanese consumers and the success of the Yoku Moku cookie Japanese consumers have enjoyed the success of the Yoku Moku cookie for over 40 years. The creator of the product was motivated to enter the confectionery sector by the cuisine created with his components' confectionery qualities. Due to its standing as...

Words: 1145

Evidently, a substance is dangerous if it seems to be lethal above the client's wishes (Miller and Gaylord 279). Susan Calles is the customer in this case since she is the intended consumer and beneficiary of the commodity (Calles v. Scripto Tokai Corporation). As a result, a corporation is not...

For millennia, nearly all traditions have held that cooking should be confined to women. According to Inness's book "Cooking Lessons: The Politics of Gender and Food," it is not difficult to note that food, as well as its preparation, is heavily gender-coded to the feminine. In most countries, however, masculinity...

Words: 3024

A Restaurant as a Community Institution A restaurant is a location where chefs cook a range of meals and drinks for customers to buy. Vendors either sell the meals inside the restaurant or have them outside, based on the scale of the restaurant and their willingness to cover the rental bill....

1. In my house, one of the most critical ritual meals is the Thanksgiving feast, which must include a stuffed turkey. It is an important feast for thanksgiving and reaffirming ideas and assumptions relevant to American cultural and social solidarity (Williams-Forson, 2008). The family gathered physically and emotionally for the...

Words: 1012

87 Cooking Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best cooking topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 simple & easy cooking essay titles, 📃 most interesting cooking topics to write about, ❓ essay questions about cookery.

Fast Food vs. Home Cooking: Lifestyle and Traditions The good thing with this business is that the food was from natural products hence healthy, a fact that has since changed Many people are very busy for the better part of the day and […]
Cooking at Home vs. Eating Out: Lunch as a Ritual for Emotional Pleasure, Creativity, and Socialization Many secondary factors influence the decision to eat at home or out, but it is cooking on my own that unlocks creativity and likewise allows me to gather friends and socialize in my kitchen.
Moist and Dry Heat Cookery Roasting is mainly used to enhance the flavor and aroma of the food through browning on the surface of the food.
Lasagna Cooking Process and Noodle Preparing Tips The next step the cook is to follow is to mix the first four ingredients and to divide the mixture. The cook is to remember that the dish is to be covered with foil.
How to Use an Automatic Gas Cooker Place the gas control knob on to the gas cock axis and push it inward firmly. Maintenance of your gas cooker Always clean the top of your gas cooker with soap and water and dry […]
Chemistry: Cooking Temperatures Specific temperatures, therefore, are needed to be observed during the preparation of specific foodstuffs and, of course, for specific durations. The range of temperatures between 41 F to 135 F also known as the danger […]
“The Cuisine and Empire” by Rachel Laudan: Cooking in World History In other words, they have allowed me to appreciate the value of food in promoting health and the social-cultural progress of the members of society.
Culinary Modernization in the Army The main purpose of the modernization of food acquisition in the Army is to build food supply networks that provide safe, nutritious, and high-quality ingredients.
Recipes for School-Age Children and Cooking Demonstration My role will be to act as a moderator and advisor while creating the recipes with the children. The recipes and knowledge of healthy foods can be employed to prevent health issues like obesity.
Cooking 101: Culinary Illiteracy Using the four dimensions of attributions, it is possible to say that the author tends to shift from specific substantive issues to broad relational concerns and to the ground rules under which the research is […]
Culinary Arts and Garde Manger Investigation Their difference is based on the way of processing, size, and color of the caviar. The size of the roe is dependant on the type of sturgeon.
Lasagna: Secrets of Cooking a Delicious Dish The next stage of cooking is one of the most important as all the products are ready and we are going to place the lasagna in the oven.
“Gordon Ramsay Demonstrates Basic Cooking Skills” Analysis In the video, Gordon Ramsay teaches all viewers how to become a better cook and shares vital knowledge and pieces of advice.
9 Scientific Cooking Techniques The following work demonstrates a scientific approach to 9 well-known cooking techniques.
Kitchen and Cooking in Kalymnos People It involves the apprentice to acquire the skills and learn the techniques of cooking through observing what the master does. The kitchen is only for the mother and her daughter in the family.
Turkey Cooking: Festive Recipe The purpose of this specific recipe is to show you how to prepare moist roasted turkey fit for any festive occasion.
Chemistry and Cooking Dependence
Wheat Flour Grinding Machine Makes Cooking Food Manifold
Cookstoves and Cooking Practices Shape Maputo’s Energy Landscapes
Cooking Bits of Advice for Vegetables Preparation
Cooking Meaning and History Review
Cooking and Vegan Fried Rice
Emission and Performance Characteristics of an Indirect Ignition Diesel Engine Fuelled With Waste Cooking Oil
Cooking Pieces of Advice for Meat Preparation
The Settlement Between Kandy Kitchen and Cooking Craft
Chesapeake Bay Cooking With John Shields
Cooking Fuel Use Patterns in India: 1983-2000
Oil Seed Processing Plant Make Cooking Oil Safety
Residential Heating and Cooking in Urban Areas of Central-Southern Chile
Oil Extracted From Moringa Oliefera Lam as an Alternative Cooking Oil
Arming Your Kitchen With Basic Cooking Utensils
Air Pollution and Burning Cooking Methods
Outdoor Cooking: The Dynamics of Taking Your Cooking Outside
Household Energy Access for Cooking and Heating: Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages, Cooking-Time, Intrahousehold Equality Among Women and Children
Rice Cooking Basics With Almond Rice Recipe
Use Your Favorite Coffee Machines to Brew for Cooking
Composition and Cooking Quality of Rice
Black Women Slaves Cooking and Serving for the Masters and the History of the Mammy Caricature
The Reasons Why Home Cooking Is Better and Healthier Than Fast Food
The World Food Culture in the History of Ancient Cooking
Cooking Competitions: Pluses and Minuses
Aboriginal Cooking Methods and Aboriginals in Jail and Custody in the U.S
Ancient Times, History, and Influences on Vietnamese Cooking
Cooking Oil Suspended Impurities in the Oil Refining of Hair Removal
Cooking: Julia Child and Knife Skills Class
Basic Hygiene Practices for Food Preparation and Cooking
The Used Cooking Oil-To-Biodiesel Chain in Europe
Clean Fuel Cooking Programs in Low Resource Countries
Using Waste Cooking Oil as Feedstock and Candida Antarctica
Southern Cooking Brings Soul to Food
Jack Fruit Seed Oil as an Alternative Source of Cooking Oil
Rural Thailand: The Case of the Improved Cooking Stove and the Small Biogas Digester
Cooking From the Heart and From Bare Essentials
Peanut Oil Press and Peers Who Have Knowledge of Cooking Oil to Prevent Security Issues
What Was the First Cookery Show?
What Is the History of Chinese Cookery?
What Do You Know About Experimental Cookery Maja Blanca?
What Are the Differences Between Italian and British Cooking?
Do You Know the Retro Recipes of Cookery?
What Is the Difference Between Cookery and Chef?
What Were the Cookery Methods Used for the Meat?
What Can Aboriginal Cookery Be Interesting to You?
What Is the Difference Between Cooking and Cookery?
Can Cookery Be Called the Art of Cooking?
Why Do People Say Cookery Instead of Cooking?
What Are the Types of Cookery?
What Are the Basic Cooking Skills?
Do You Find Cookery Courses Useful?
Is It Possible to Become a Popular Person by Cookery?
Is Baking Considered Cookery?
What Cookery Equipment Do You Use?
What Are the Cookery Methods of the Aborigines?
Is the Air Polluted During Different Cookery Methods?
What Utensils Are Basic for Cookery?
What Are the Advantages of Crock Pot in Cookery?
Is Cookery a Hobby or a Profession for You?
What Is the Electricity Consumption During Cookery?
How Does Biodiesel Production From Used Cookery Oil Work?
What Cookery Tips Can You Give for Cooking Meat?
What Ingredients Do You Use Most Often in Cookery?
Do You Subscribe to Cookery and Food Magazines?
Why Is It Important to Have Safety Precautions in Cooking?
Is Vegan Cookery Delicious?
What Tips Do You Have for Beginners in Cookery?
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Six brilliant student essays on the power of food to spark social change.

Read winning essays from our fall 2018 “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” student writing contest.

For the Fall 2018 student writing competition, “Feeding Ourselves, Feeding Our Revolutions,” we invited students to read the YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson and respond to this writing prompt: If you were to host a potluck or dinner to discuss a challenge facing your community or country, what food would you cook? Whom would you invite? On what issue would you deliberate?

The Winners

From the hundreds of essays written, these six—on anti-Semitism, cultural identity, death row prisoners, coming out as transgender, climate change, and addiction—were chosen as essay winners. Be sure to read the literary gems and catchy titles that caught our eye.

Middle School Winner: India Brown High School Winner: Grace Williams University Winner: Lillia Borodkin Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Literary Gems Clever Titles

Middle School Winner: India Brown

A Feast for the Future

Close your eyes and imagine the not too distant future: The Statue of Liberty is up to her knees in water, the streets of lower Manhattan resemble the canals of Venice, and hurricanes arrive in the fall and stay until summer. Now, open your eyes and see the beautiful planet that we will destroy if we do not do something. Now is the time for change. Our future is in our control if we take actions, ranging from small steps, such as not using plastic straws, to large ones, such as reducing fossil fuel consumption and electing leaders who take the problem seriously.

Hosting a dinner party is an extraordinary way to publicize what is at stake. At my potluck, I would serve linguini with clams. The clams would be sautéed in white wine sauce. The pasta tossed with a light coat of butter and topped with freshly shredded parmesan. I choose this meal because it cannot be made if global warming’s patterns persist. Soon enough, the ocean will be too warm to cultivate clams, vineyards will be too sweltering to grow grapes, and wheat fields will dry out, leaving us without pasta.

I think that giving my guests a delicious meal and then breaking the news to them that its ingredients would be unattainable if Earth continues to get hotter is a creative strategy to initiate action. Plus, on the off chance the conversation gets drastically tense, pasta is a relatively difficult food to throw.

In YES! Magazine’s article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson says “…beyond the narrow definition of what cooking is, you can see that cooking is and has always been an act of resistance.” I hope that my dish inspires people to be aware of what’s at stake with increasing greenhouse gas emissions and work toward creating a clean energy future.

My guest list for the potluck would include two groups of people: local farmers, who are directly and personally affected by rising temperatures, increased carbon dioxide, drought, and flooding, and people who either do not believe in human-caused climate change or don’t think it affects anyone. I would invite the farmers or farm owners because their jobs and crops are dependent on the weather. I hope that after hearing a farmer’s perspective, climate-deniers would be awakened by the truth and more receptive to the effort to reverse these catastrophic trends.

Earth is a beautiful planet that provides everything we’ll ever need, but because of our pattern of living—wasteful consumption, fossil fuel burning, and greenhouse gas emissions— our habitat is rapidly deteriorating. Whether you are a farmer, a long-shower-taking teenager, a worker in a pollution-producing factory, or a climate-denier, the future of humankind is in our hands. The choices we make and the actions we take will forever affect planet Earth.

India Brown is an eighth grader who lives in New York City with her parents and older brother. She enjoys spending time with her friends, walking her dog, Morty, playing volleyball and lacrosse, and swimming.

High School Winner: Grace Williams

Apple Pie Embrace

It’s 1:47 a.m. Thanksgiving smells fill the kitchen. The sweet aroma of sugar-covered apples and buttery dough swirls into my nostrils. Fragrant orange and rosemary permeate the room and every corner smells like a stroll past the open door of a French bakery. My eleven-year-old eyes water, red with drowsiness, and refocus on the oven timer counting down. Behind me, my mom and aunt chat to no end, fueled by the seemingly self-replenishable coffee pot stashed in the corner. Their hands work fast, mashing potatoes, crumbling cornbread, and covering finished dishes in a thin layer of plastic wrap. The most my tired body can do is sit slouched on the backless wooden footstool. I bask in the heat escaping under the oven door.

As a child, I enjoyed Thanksgiving and the preparations that came with it, but it seemed like more of a bridge between my birthday and Christmas than an actual holiday. Now, it’s a time of year I look forward to, dedicated to family, memories, and, most importantly, food. What I realized as I grew older was that my homemade Thanksgiving apple pie was more than its flaky crust and soft-fruit center. This American food symbolized a rite of passage, my Iraqi family’s ticket to assimilation.

Some argue that by adopting American customs like the apple pie, we lose our culture. I would argue that while American culture influences what my family eats and celebrates, it doesn’t define our character. In my family, we eat Iraqi dishes like mesta and tahini, but we also eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast. This doesn’t mean we favor one culture over the other; instead, we create a beautiful blend of the two, adapting traditions to make them our own.

That said, my family has always been more than the “mashed potatoes and turkey” type.

My mom’s family immigrated to the United States in 1976. Upon their arrival, they encountered a deeply divided America. Racism thrived, even after the significant freedoms gained from the Civil Rights Movement a few years before. Here, my family was thrust into a completely unknown world: they didn’t speak the language, they didn’t dress normally, and dinners like riza maraka seemed strange in comparison to the Pop Tarts and Oreos lining grocery store shelves.

If I were to host a dinner party, it would be like Thanksgiving with my Chaldean family. The guests, my extended family, are a diverse people, distinct ingredients in a sweet potato casserole, coming together to create a delicious dish.

In her article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” Korsha Wilson writes, “each ingredient that we use, every technique, every spice tells a story about our access, our privilege, our heritage, and our culture.” Voices around the room will echo off the walls into the late hours of the night while the hot apple pie steams at the table’s center.

We will play concan on the blanketed floor and I’ll try to understand my Toto, who, after forty years, still speaks broken English. I’ll listen to my elders as they tell stories about growing up in Unionville, Michigan, a predominately white town where they always felt like outsiders, stories of racism that I have the privilege not to experience. While snacking on sunflower seeds and salted pistachios, we’ll talk about the news- how thousands of people across the country are protesting for justice among immigrants. No one protested to give my family a voice.

Our Thanksgiving food is more than just sustenance, it is a physical representation of my family ’s blended and ever-changing culture, even after 40 years in the United States. No matter how the food on our plates changes, it will always symbolize our sense of family—immediate and extended—and our unbreakable bond.

Grace Williams, a student at Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, enjoys playing tennis, baking, and spending time with her family. Grace also enjoys her time as a writing editor for her school’s yearbook, the Pioneer. In the future, Grace hopes to continue her travels abroad, as well as live near extended family along the sunny beaches of La Jolla, California.

University Winner: Lillia Borodkin

Nourishing Change After Tragedy Strikes

In the Jewish community, food is paramount. We often spend our holidays gathered around a table, sharing a meal and reveling in our people’s story. On other sacred days, we fast, focusing instead on reflection, atonement, and forgiveness.

As a child, I delighted in the comfort of matzo ball soup, the sweetness of hamantaschen, and the beauty of braided challah. But as I grew older and more knowledgeable about my faith, I learned that the origins of these foods are not rooted in joy, but in sacrifice.

The matzo of matzo balls was a necessity as the Jewish people did not have time for their bread to rise as they fled slavery in Egypt. The hamantaschen was an homage to the hat of Haman, the villain of the Purim story who plotted the Jewish people’s destruction. The unbaked portion of braided challah was tithed by commandment to the kohen or priests. Our food is an expression of our history, commemorating both our struggles and our triumphs.

As I write this, only days have passed since eleven Jews were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. These people, intending only to pray and celebrate the Sabbath with their community, were murdered simply for being Jewish. This brutal event, in a temple and city much like my own, is a reminder that anti-Semitism still exists in this country. A reminder that hatred of Jews, of me, my family, and my community, is alive and flourishing in America today. The thought that a difference in religion would make some believe that others do not have the right to exist is frightening and sickening.

This is why, if given the chance, I would sit down the entire Jewish American community at one giant Shabbat table. I’d serve matzo ball soup, pass around loaves of challah, and do my best to offer comfort. We would take time to remember the beautiful souls lost to anti-Semitism this October and the countless others who have been victims of such hatred in the past. I would then ask that we channel all we are feeling—all the fear, confusion, and anger —into the fight.

As suggested in Korsha Wilson’s “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” I would urge my guests to direct our passion for justice and the comfort and care provided by the food we are eating into resisting anti-Semitism and hatred of all kinds.

We must use the courage this sustenance provides to create change and honor our people’s suffering and strength. We must remind our neighbors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that anti-Semitism is alive and well today. We must shout and scream and vote until our elected leaders take this threat to our community seriously. And, we must stand with, support, and listen to other communities that are subjected to vengeful hate today in the same way that many of these groups have supported us in the wake of this tragedy.

This terrible shooting is not the first of its kind, and if conflict and loathing are permitted to grow, I fear it will not be the last. While political change may help, the best way to target this hate is through smaller-scale actions in our own communities.

It is critical that we as a Jewish people take time to congregate and heal together, but it is equally necessary to include those outside the Jewish community to build a powerful crusade against hatred and bigotry. While convening with these individuals, we will work to end the dangerous “otherizing” that plagues our society and seek to understand that we share far more in common than we thought. As disagreements arise during our discussions, we will learn to respect and treat each other with the fairness we each desire. Together, we shall share the comfort, strength, and courage that traditional Jewish foods provide and use them to fuel our revolution.

We are not alone in the fight despite what extremists and anti-semites might like us to believe. So, like any Jew would do, I invite you to join me at the Shabbat table. First, we will eat. Then, we will get to work.

Lillia Borodkin is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Child Psychology. She plans to attend graduate school and become a school psychologist while continuing to pursue her passion for reading and writing. Outside of class, Lillia is involved in research in the psychology department and volunteers at the Women’s Center on campus.

Powerful Voice Winner: Paisley Regester

As a kid, I remember asking my friends jokingly, ”If you were stuck on a deserted island, what single item of food would you bring?” Some of my friends answered practically and said they’d bring water. Others answered comically and said they’d bring snacks like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or a banana. However, most of my friends answered sentimentally and listed the foods that made them happy. This seems like fun and games, but what happens if the hypothetical changes? Imagine being asked, on the eve of your death, to choose the final meal you will ever eat. What food would you pick? Something practical? Comical? Sentimental?

This situation is the reality for the 2,747 American prisoners who are currently awaiting execution on death row. The grim ritual of “last meals,” when prisoners choose their final meal before execution, can reveal a lot about these individuals and what they valued throughout their lives.

It is difficult for us to imagine someone eating steak, lobster tail, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream one moment and being killed by state-approved lethal injection the next. The prisoner can only hope that the apple pie he requested tastes as good as his mom’s. Surprisingly, many people in prison decline the option to request a special last meal. We often think of food as something that keeps us alive, so is there really any point to eating if someone knows they are going to die?

“Controlling food is a means of controlling power,” said chef Sean Sherman in the YES! Magazine article “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” by Korsha Wilson. There are deeper stories that lie behind the final meals of individuals on death row.

I want to bring awareness to the complex and often controversial conditions of this country’s criminal justice system and change the common perception of prisoners as inhuman. To accomplish this, I would host a potluck where I would recreate the last meals of prisoners sentenced to death.

In front of each plate, there would be a place card with the prisoner’s full name, the date of execution, and the method of execution. These meals could range from a plate of fried chicken, peas with butter, apple pie, and a Dr. Pepper, reminiscent of a Sunday dinner at Grandma’s, to a single olive.

Seeing these meals up close, meals that many may eat at their own table or feed to their own kids, would force attendees to face the reality of the death penalty. It will urge my guests to look at these individuals not just as prisoners, assigned a number and a death date, but as people, capable of love and rehabilitation.

This potluck is not only about realizing a prisoner’s humanity, but it is also about recognizing a flawed criminal justice system. Over the years, I have become skeptical of the American judicial system, especially when only seven states have judges who ethnically represent the people they serve. I was shocked when I found out that the officers who killed Michael Brown and Anthony Lamar Smith were exonerated for their actions. How could that be possible when so many teens and adults of color have spent years in prison, some even executed, for crimes they never committed?

Lawmakers, police officers, city officials, and young constituents, along with former prisoners and their families, would be invited to my potluck to start an honest conversation about the role and application of inequality, dehumanization, and racism in the death penalty. Food served at the potluck would represent the humanity of prisoners and push people to acknowledge that many inmates are victims of a racist and corrupt judicial system.

Recognizing these injustices is only the first step towards a more equitable society. The second step would be acting on these injustices to ensure that every voice is heard, even ones separated from us by prison walls. Let’s leave that for the next potluck, where I plan to serve humble pie.

Paisley Regester is a high school senior and devotes her life to activism, the arts, and adventure. Inspired by her experiences traveling abroad to Nicaragua, Mexico, and Scotland, Paisley hopes to someday write about the diverse people and places she has encountered and share her stories with the rest of the world.

Powerful Voice Winner: Emma Lingo

The Empty Seat

“If you aren’t sober, then I don’t want to see you on Christmas.”

Harsh words for my father to hear from his daughter but words he needed to hear. Words I needed him to understand and words he seemed to consider as he fiddled with his wine glass at the head of the table. Our guests, my grandma, and her neighbors remained resolutely silent. They were not about to defend my drunken father–or Charles as I call him–from my anger or my ultimatum.

This was the first dinner we had had together in a year. The last meal we shared ended with Charles slopping his drink all over my birthday presents and my mother explaining heroin addiction to me. So, I wasn’t surprised when Charles threw down some liquid valor before dinner in anticipation of my anger. If he wanted to be welcomed on Christmas, he needed to be sober—or he needed to be gone.

Countless dinners, holidays, and birthdays taught me that my demands for sobriety would fall on deaf ears. But not this time. Charles gave me a gift—a one of a kind, limited edition, absolutely awkward treat. One that I didn’t know how to deal with at all. Charles went home that night, smacked a bright red bow on my father, and hand-delivered him to me on Christmas morning.

He arrived for breakfast freshly showered and looking flustered. He would remember this day for once only because his daughter had scolded him into sobriety. Dad teetered between happiness and shame. Grandma distracted us from Dad’s presence by bringing the piping hot bacon and biscuits from the kitchen to the table, theatrically announcing their arrival. Although these foods were the alleged focus of the meal, the real spotlight shined on the unopened liquor cabinet in my grandma’s kitchen—the cabinet I know Charles was begging Dad to open.

I’ve isolated myself from Charles. My family has too. It means we don’t see Dad, but it’s the best way to avoid confrontation and heartache. Sometimes I find myself wondering what it would be like if we talked with him more or if he still lived nearby. Would he be less inclined to use? If all families with an addict tried to hang on to a relationship with the user, would there be fewer addicts in the world? Christmas breakfast with Dad was followed by Charles whisking him away to Colorado where pot had just been legalized. I haven’t talked to Dad since that Christmas.

As Korsha Wilson stated in her YES! Magazine article, “Cooking Stirs the Pot for Social Change,” “Sometimes what we don’t cook says more than what we do cook.” When it comes to addiction, what isn’t served is more important than what is. In quiet moments, I like to imagine a meal with my family–including Dad. He’d have a spot at the table in my little fantasy. No alcohol would push him out of his chair, the cigarettes would remain seated in his back pocket, and the stench of weed wouldn’t invade the dining room. Fruit salad and gumbo would fill the table—foods that Dad likes. We’d talk about trivial matters in life, like how school is going and what we watched last night on TV.

Dad would feel loved. We would connect. He would feel less alone. At the end of the night, he’d walk me to the door and promise to see me again soon. And I would believe him.

Emma Lingo spends her time working as an editor for her school paper, reading, and being vocal about social justice issues. Emma is active with many clubs such as Youth and Government, KHS Cares, and Peer Helpers. She hopes to be a journalist one day and to be able to continue helping out people by volunteering at local nonprofits.

Powerful Voice Winner: Hayden Wilson

Bittersweet Reunion

I close my eyes and envision a dinner of my wildest dreams. I would invite all of my relatives. Not just my sister who doesn’t ask how I am anymore. Not just my nephews who I’m told are too young to understand me. No, I would gather all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins to introduce them to the me they haven’t met.

For almost two years, I’ve gone by a different name that most of my family refuses to acknowledge. My aunt, a nun of 40 years, told me at a recent birthday dinner that she’d heard of my “nickname.” I didn’t want to start a fight, so I decided not to correct her. Even the ones who’ve adjusted to my name have yet to recognize the bigger issue.

Last year on Facebook, I announced to my friends and family that I am transgender. No one in my family has talked to me about it, but they have plenty to say to my parents. I feel as if this is about my parents more than me—that they’ve made some big parenting mistake. Maybe if I invited everyone to dinner and opened up a discussion, they would voice their concerns to me instead of my parents.

I would serve two different meals of comfort food to remind my family of our good times. For my dad’s family, I would cook heavily salted breakfast food, the kind my grandpa used to enjoy. He took all of his kids to IHOP every Sunday and ordered the least healthy option he could find, usually some combination of an overcooked omelet and a loaded Classic Burger. For my mom’s family, I would buy shakes and burgers from Hardee’s. In my grandma’s final weeks, she let aluminum tins of sympathy meals pile up on her dining table while she made my uncle take her to Hardee’s every day.

In her article on cooking and activism, food writer Korsha Wilson writes, “Everyone puts down their guard over a good meal, and in that space, change is possible.” Hopefully the same will apply to my guests.

When I first thought of this idea, my mind rushed to the endless negative possibilities. My nun-aunt and my two non-nun aunts who live like nuns would whip out their Bibles before I even finished my first sentence. My very liberal, state representative cousin would say how proud she is of the guy I’m becoming, but this would trigger my aunts to accuse her of corrupting my mind. My sister, who has never spoken to me about my genderidentity, would cover her children’s ears and rush them out of the house. My Great-Depression-raised grandparents would roll over in their graves, mumbling about how kids have it easy nowadays.

After mentally mapping out every imaginable terrible outcome this dinner could have, I realized a conversation is unavoidable if I want my family to accept who I am. I long to restore the deep connection I used to have with them. Though I often think these former relationships are out of reach, I won’t know until I try to repair them. For a year and a half, I’ve relied on Facebook and my parents to relay messages about my identity, but I need to tell my own story.

At first, I thought Korsha Wilson’s idea of a cooked meal leading the way to social change was too optimistic, but now I understand that I need to think more like her. Maybe, just maybe, my family could all gather around a table, enjoy some overpriced shakes, and be as close as we were when I was a little girl.

Hayden Wilson is a 17-year-old high school junior from Missouri. He loves writing, making music, and painting. He’s a part of his school’s writing club, as well as the GSA and a few service clubs.

Literary Gems

We received many outstanding essays for the Fall 2018 Writing Competition. Though not every participant can win the contest, we’d like to share some excerpts that caught our eye.

Thinking of the main staple of the dish—potatoes, the starchy vegetable that provides sustenance for people around the globe. The onion, the layers of sorrow and joy—a base for this dish served during the holidays. The oil, symbolic of hope and perseverance. All of these elements come together to form this delicious oval pancake permeating with possibilities. I wonder about future possibilities as I flip the latkes.

—Nikki Markman, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

The egg is a treasure. It is a fragile heart of gold that once broken, flows over the blemishless surface of the egg white in dandelion colored streams, like ribbon unraveling from its spool.

—Kaylin Ku, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, New Jersey

If I were to bring one food to a potluck to create social change by addressing anti-Semitism, I would bring gefilte fish because it is different from other fish, just like the Jews are different from other people. It looks more like a matzo ball than fish, smells extraordinarily fishy, and tastes like sweet brine with the consistency of a crab cake.

—Noah Glassman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

I would not only be serving them something to digest, I would serve them a one-of-a-kind taste of the past, a taste of fear that is felt in the souls of those whose home and land were taken away, a taste of ancestral power that still lives upon us, and a taste of the voices that want to be heard and that want the suffering of the Natives to end.

—Citlalic Anima Guevara, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

It’s the one thing that your parents make sure you have because they didn’t. Food is what your mother gives you as she lies, telling you she already ate. It’s something not everybody is fortunate to have and it’s also what we throw away without hesitation. Food is a blessing to me, but what is it to you?

—Mohamed Omar, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

Filleted and fried humphead wrasse, mangrove crab with coconut milk, pounded taro, a whole roast pig, and caramelized nuts—cuisines that will not be simplified to just “food.” Because what we eat is the diligence and pride of our people—a culture that has survived and continues to thrive.

—Mayumi Remengesau, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Some people automatically think I’m kosher or ask me to say prayers in Hebrew. However, guess what? I don’t know many prayers and I eat bacon.

—Hannah Reing, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, The Bronx, New York

Everything was placed before me. Rolling up my sleeves I started cracking eggs, mixing flour, and sampling some chocolate chips, because you can never be too sure. Three separate bowls. All different sizes. Carefully, I tipped the smallest, and the medium-sized bowls into the biggest. Next, I plugged in my hand-held mixer and flicked on the switch. The beaters whirl to life. I lowered it into the bowl and witnessed the creation of something magnificent. Cookie dough.

—Cassandra Amaya, Owen Goodnight Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

Biscuits and bisexuality are both things that are in my life…My grandmother’s biscuits are the best: the good old classic Southern biscuits, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Except it is mostly Southern people who don’t accept me.

—Jaden Huckaby, Arbor Montessori, Decatur, Georgia

We zest the bright yellow lemons and the peels of flavor fall lightly into the batter. To make frosting, we keep adding more and more powdered sugar until it looks like fluffy clouds with raspberry seed rain.

—Jane Minus, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Tamales for my grandma, I can still remember her skillfully spreading the perfect layer of masa on every corn husk, looking at me pitifully as my young hands fumbled with the corn wrapper, always too thick or too thin.

—Brenna Eliaz, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

Just like fry bread, MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat) remind New Orleanians and others affected by disasters of the devastation throughout our city and the little amount of help we got afterward.

—Madeline Johnson, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

I would bring cream corn and buckeyes and have a big debate on whether marijuana should be illegal or not.

—Lillian Martinez, Miller Middle School, San Marcos, Texas

We would finish the meal off with a delicious apple strudel, topped with schlag, schlag, schlag, more schlag, and a cherry, and finally…more schlag (in case you were wondering, schlag is like whipped cream, but 10 times better because it is heavier and sweeter).

—Morgan Sheehan, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

Clever Titles

This year we decided to do something different. We were so impressed by the number of catchy titles that we decided to feature some of our favorites.

“Eat Like a Baby: Why Shame Has No Place at a Baby’s Dinner Plate”

—Tate Miller, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“The Cheese in Between”

—Jedd Horowitz, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Harvey, Michael, Florence or Katrina? Invite Them All Because Now We Are Prepared”

—Molly Mendoza, Spring Hill College, Mobile, Alabama

“Neglecting Our Children: From Broccoli to Bullets”

—Kylie Rollings, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“The Lasagna of Life”

—Max Williams, Wichita North High School, Wichita, Kansas

“Yum, Yum, Carbon Dioxide In Our Lungs”

—Melanie Eickmeyer, Kirkwood High School, Kirkwood, Missouri

“My Potluck, My Choice”

—Francesca Grossberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Trumping with Tacos”

—Maya Goncalves, Lincoln Middle School, Ypsilanti, Michigan

“Quiche and Climate Change”

—Bernie Waldman, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

“Biscuits and Bisexuality”

“W(health)”

—Miles Oshan, San Marcos High School, San Marcos, Texas

“Bubula, Come Eat!”

—Jordan Fienberg, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, New York

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Home Essay Samples Food

Essay Samples on Cooking

The pros of home cooking as compared to fast food.

There is only so much time in the world, people are constantly busy and in a rush. Busy with work, school and other extra activities. Who has time to cook nowadays? Families are constantly going out to eat at restaurants and fast food places rather...

Healthy Food

Home Cooked Meals Vs. Fast Food: Comparing Nutritious Benefits

Nowadays many people of all ages are becoming more obese simply because they choose to take the easier route when it comes to their appetite; however, the easier route may not be the one that’s healthiest. The vast majority are not cooking as much, which...

The Perfect Agenda for Single People on the Valentine's Day

All lonely women: He returned. Good V word. When a terrible day draws near, we are all surrounded by Valentine's Day attributes. The sweet Hallmark cards make us laugh; The heart shaped chocolate box gives us evil and constantly reminds us that we must be...

Valentines Day

Nuances of Food Preparation for Astronauts

Summary Astronauts do not only rely on food for their physical well being. Food provides emotional benefits and can lessen the psychological effects of being in space for extended periods of time. However, food on the International Space Station must be specifically prepared for space...

Space Exploration

Mistake That One Should Avoid During Baking

Spell baking can be a great deal of fun, it likewise needs one serious part of accuracy and meticulousness. Commit one modest error or miss one little fixing and you can wager everything that the dish will be a debacle. I have dependably said that...

Food Safety

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Traditional Cuisine of the Carribeans, Southern India and Northern France

One of the most important aspects of any culture is food. The reason why traditional cuisine is passed from one generation to another is to preserve the food culture and also express the cultural identity. When one’s traditional food is frequently cooked, there is a...

Cooking a Successful Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is one of the most anticipated and celebrated holidays in the United States. It is a time where family and friends come together as one and give thanks. However, Thanksgiving can be a complex occasion due to the planning, preparing, and cooking the holiday...

Thanksgiving

Steps to Planning a Successful Thanksgiving

Steps to Planning a Successful Thanksgiving When Thanksgiving comes around, you always want to prepare days before. Thanksgiving involves a lot of work meaning you’ll need plenty of time. Many people think of Thanksgiving as “The Last Supper” so you can imagine lots of people...

The Life of David Chang, a Famous Korean-American Chef

David Chang is a famous Korean-American chef born in Vienna, Virginia but raised in Arlington with his two older brothers, his older sister, his mother and his father. Chang’s father, Joe Chang, was born in North Korea, while his mother, Sherri Chang, was born in...

Pastry Chef

The Evolution of Pastry Dough

Pastry dough has evolved vastly over time, mainly due to technological advancements and globalization, but its evolution has also had many cultural effects. The evolution of dessert dough and how it's impacted different cultures can be seen from B.C. to the present. With the knowledge...

Pastry Industry in the U.S.: Famous Pastry Chefs

Folks with a distinct sweet tooth tend to have a stronger passion for desserts and greater inclination to flavor. This may not be the ultimate diagnosis for what’s acceptable in someone’s eating behavior, but it’s definitely something necessary if you’re one to pursue a career...

A Research Paper on the Role of a Pastry Chef

A Pastry chef, is a station chef in a professional kitchen, who is skilled in the area of making of pastries, desserts, breads, and other baked goods. Being a pastry chef is not an easy job, but yet a job that is easy to fall...

The Seasonal Beauty of Japanese Food with Film Series “Little Forest”

Japan is well known for its distinct seasonality, especially in its food. Japanese celebrate their seasons by enjoying the fresh ingredients unique to that season, which is a feature for washoku, a famous national cuisine. A meal in Japan goes beyond simply eating the food....

Japanese Food Culture

The Various Processes of Heat Transfer

The cooling, heating and preserving of food is vital to human survival. We must heat food, so it is safe to eat and preserve it, so it does not become rotten or diseased. There are many things we need to be able to do with...

Importance of Food

The Forecast Of Demand/Supply Of Labour Phase

At the moment employment is at its highest rate, yet the food industry is continually short of staff. This is meaning some restaurants are only able to open 5 days out of 7 as they don’t have enough staff to run a restaurant efficiently and...

Employee Retention

A Comparison of the Depiction of Food in Ancient and Modern Art Pieces

Food has always been a sort of release to people whether it be for dining purposes, entertaining your guests, photographs, depicting it on an art piece from vases to scrolls to walls, but now due to the rising technology of the 21st century we can...

Blanching Method For The Shell Life Of Friuts And Vegetables

Objective: 1.To perform the blanching method to preserve fruits and vegetables and to enhance their shelf life. 2. To determine the outcome of blanching on the visual and olfactory quality components of distinct fruits and vegetables. Materials Apparatus 2 fresh cobs of corn 2 pairing...

Cooking Food In Pottery Is More Beneficial

Pottery is a huge part of Pakistani culture especially in Sindh, Hala, Khumar road etc. it is used at various places in the world except for Pakistan that is, India, Siri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Africa, Spain ets. These clay utensils need 20 different step to...

The Depiction Of Italian Cuisine In American Television And Cinema

For any Italian, there is no place more sentimental than the dinner table. The place, which is a constantly changing place of scenery, is so sentimental it borders holiness. From prosciutto to tiramisu, everything has been served in cinema and for a number of occasions....

American Culture
The Godfather

The Geography Of Soupe De Chalet

Europe has birthed a vast number of delicious dishes across the nation. The one that will be presented in this exercise is the Soupe de Chalet (Chalet Soup )also called the Fribourg Vegetable Soup, which is a conventional dish created in Switzerland, more particularly in...

Organic Food

The Health Risk Factors Of Lack Of Proper And Regular Fuel Availability

People under the poverty line are mostly energy poor too. It is estimated that approximately two thirds of these are women, quite a few of whom live in female-headed rural households. It is essential to keep in mind that men and women have different energy...

Risk Taking

The Pros Of Cooking Meals At Home

I have been passionate by culinary art and today I’m going to tell you why you should cook your own meal. I would like to dedicate this pitch to my mother who introduced me to cooking since I was a kid. With the increasing rate...

My Love For The Art Of Baking

I grab the key ingredient, flour, from the cabinet. I hear the large swoosh of the fan as the white powder swirls around. I tie my hair back and pour the dusty powder in a cup. 2 ½ cups. 3 cups. 1 ⅓ tablespoon. I...

Best topics on Cooking

1. The Pros Of Home Cooking As Compared To Fast Food

2. Home Cooked Meals Vs. Fast Food: Comparing Nutritious Benefits

3. The Perfect Agenda for Single People on the Valentine’s Day

4. Nuances of Food Preparation for Astronauts

5. Mistake That One Should Avoid During Baking

6. Traditional Cuisine of the Carribeans, Southern India and Northern France

7. Cooking a Successful Thanksgiving Dinner

8. Steps to Planning a Successful Thanksgiving

9. The Life of David Chang, a Famous Korean-American Chef

10. The Evolution of Pastry Dough

11. Pastry Industry in the U.S.: Famous Pastry Chefs

12. A Research Paper on the Role of a Pastry Chef

13. The Seasonal Beauty of Japanese Food with Film Series “Little Forest”

14. The Various Processes of Heat Transfer

15. The Forecast Of Demand/Supply Of Labour Phase

Fast Food Nation

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Essay on Cooking 100, 150, 200, 300 and 400 + Words

Essay on Cooking- 100 Words

Cooking is a process of preparing food by using heat. Cooking can be done in many different ways, such as baking, grilling, frying, and boiling. Each method of cooking has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, baking is a healthier option because it doesn’t require the use of oil or fat. However, it can take longer to cook food this way. Grilling is a quick and easy way to cook food, but it can cause the formation of cancer-causing chemicals on the food. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for others, the tips in this article will help you to become a better cook. So get in the kitchen and start cooking!

Essay on Cooking- 150 Words

Cooking is an important life skill that everyone should know. It can be a great way to show someone you care, and it can also be a fun activity to do with friends or family. There are many different techniques and recipes that you can try, so there’s always something new to learn. Plus, cooking at home is usually healthier and cheaper than eating out. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your life, learning how to cook is a great place to start. Cooking can be done in many different ways, such as baking, grilling, frying, and boiling. Each method has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, baking is a healthier option because it doesn’t require the use of oil or fat. However, it can take longer to cook food this way. Grilling is a quick way to cook food, but it can cause the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Frying uses hot oil to cook food, which can make it very unhealthy. Boiling is a good compromise between healthy and fast cooking, but it can make some foods taste bland.

Essay on Cooking- 200 Words

Cooking is a necessary life skill that everyone should know. It can be a fun and rewarding experience, or it can be a chore. However, learning to cook can be a great way to show off your culinary skills and impress your friends and family. There are many different methods of cooking, so there is sure to be something for everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or a master chef, cooking is a skill that you can always improve upon. No doubt It’s a great way to show creativity, and it can be very fulfilling to make a meal for someone you care about. Cooking is an incredibly rewarding activity. Not only do you get to create something delicious, but you also get to bond with the people you’re cooking for. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or for a large group, there’s always something special about preparing a meal and sharing it with others. If you’re looking for ways to improve your cooking skills, we hope this essay has given you some ideas on where to start. Keep practicing and perfecting your craft, and pretty soon you’ll be whipping up Michelin-star worthy dishes in no time. Cooking can also be a great way to bond with friends or family members, so don’t be afraid to get everyone involved in the kitchen. Who knows, you might just discover a new favorite dish!

Essay on Cooking- 300 Words

No matter what the reason is for enjoying cooking, there is no doubt that it is a skill that can be valuable in many different situations. Whether you are wanting to impress someone special or simply looking for a way to save money on eating out, learning how to cook can be a great investment of time and effort. And even if you never master the art of gourmet cooking, simply knowing how to cook basic meals can be a huge help in your day-to-day life. There are many different reasons why people enjoy cooking. For some, it is a way to relax and unwind after a long day. Others enjoy the creative process of coming up with new recipes and experimenting with different ingredients. And for many, cooking is a way to show love and care for others, whether it be family, friends, or guests. There are many different techniques that can be used when cooking, and each person has their own unique way of doing it. Cooking is a great way to show creativity and express yourself. It can also be a fun activity to do with friends or family. Cooking can also be a great way to relax and de-stress. Whether you’re cooking a simple meal or something more complex, the process can help you to clear your mind and focus on the task at hand. When cooking, it is important to follow recipes and instructions carefully. This will help you to avoid making mistakes that could make the food unsafe to eat. It is also important to keep your kitchen clean and organized. This will help you to be more efficient when cooking and make the process more enjoyable. Cooking can be therapeutic, and it can also be a great way to show your love for others. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned chef, I hope this essay has inspired you to get in the kitchen and start cooking up some delicious meals.

Essay on Cooking- 500 + Words

Cooking is an activity that everyone can enjoy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s always something new to learn in the kitchen. In this article, we’ll explore some of the basics of cooking so that you can get started on your culinary journey!

What is Cooking?

Cooking is the process of preparing food for consumption. It can be done through a variety of methods, including baking, grilling, and boiling. Cooking is a necessary skill for anyone who wants to eat healthy, delicious meals. There are countless reasons to love cooking. For one, it’s a great way to save money. Cooking at home is typically much cheaper than eating out, especially if you use some simple strategies like cooking in bulk or avoiding expensive ingredients. Plus, home-cooked meals tend to be healthier than restaurant fare, since you have more control over what goes into them. Another great thing about cooking is that it’s a great way to bond with friends and family. Spending time in the kitchen together can be a fun and relaxing way to catch up with loved ones. And of course, there’s nothing better than sharing a meal that you’ve made with your own two hands. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just getting started in the kitchen, we hope you’ll find something here to inspire you. Check out our collection of recipes, cooking tips, and articles about food and nutrition. And don’t forget to share your own

The different types of cooking

There are many different types of cooking, each with its own unique flavor and style. Some of the most popular types of cooking include:

American: This type of cooking is characterized by the use of lots of fat, sugar, and processed ingredients.
Italian: This cuisine is characterized by the use of fresh, local ingredients and simple techniques.
French: This type of cooking is known for its sophisticated techniques and use of high-quality ingredients.
Chinese: This cuisine relies on the use of strong flavors and fragrant spices.

The Benefits of Cooking

Cooking is often seen as a chore, but it can actually be therapeutic and beneficial in many ways. For one, it can be a great stress reliever. The act of chopping vegetables or measuring ingredients can be calming, and the end result is often a delicious meal that you can share with others. Cooking can also be a great way to bond with others. Whether you’re cooking with family or friends, the experience can bring you closer together. And if you’re cooking for someone special, it’s a thoughtful way to show them your affection. Finally, cooking can be good for your health. When you cook at home, you have more control over the ingredients and how they’re prepared. This means you can choose healthier options and avoid processed foods. Plus, cooking can help you get more nutrients from food since heating helps break down some of the nutrients so they’re easier for your body to absorb.

How to become a Better Cook

Are you tired of your usual cooking routine? If you’re looking to spice up your culinary skills, then you’ve come to the right place. In this blog section, we’ll be giving you tips on how to become a better cook. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there’s always room for improvement in the kitchen. And becoming a better cook doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little practice and patience, anyone can improve their cooking skills.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Read recipes thoroughly before beginning. This may seem like an obvious one, but it’s important to make sure you understand the instructions before you start cooking. That way, you can avoid any potential mistakes. 2. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a perfect dish. If it’s your first time making something, don’t expect it to come out perfectly. Give yourself some time to learn and master the recipe. 3. Experiment with different ingredients and techniques. One of the best ways to become a better cook is to experiment in the kitchen. Try using different ingredients or cooking techniques to see what works best for you. You may be

The best foods to cook

There are a lot of different foods that you can cook, but some are better than others. Here are a few of the best foods to cook:

1. Steak – Steak is a classic food that always tastes great. Whether you grill it, pan fry it, or bake it, steak is always a delicious option. 2. Chicken – Chicken is another versatile food that can be cooked in a variety of ways. It’s also a healthy option, making it a great choice for those who are looking to eat healthier. 3. Salmon – Salmon is a great fish to cook because it is so flavorful. It’s also healthy and packed with nutrients, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a nutritious meal. 4. Vegetables – Vegetables are a great option for those who want to eat healthy. They can be cooked in many different ways and are packed with vitamins and minerals. 5. Rice – Rice is a staple food in many cultures and is very versatile. It can be cooked in many different ways and can be used as a side dish or as the main course of a meal.

The Various Aspects of Cooking

There are many different aspects to cooking, from the simplest of tasks to the more complex. No matter what your level of expertise, there is always something new to learn about cooking. In this blog section, we will explore some of the different aspects of cooking, and how you can improve your skills in each one. One of the most important aspects of cooking is learning how to properly measure ingredients. This may seem like a simple task, but it is one that many people do not take the time to do correctly. Measuring ingredients correctly is essential for making sure that your food turns out the way that you want it to. Without proper measuring, you run the risk of ruining a dish entirely. Another important aspect of cooking is learning how to properly cook food at the correct temperatures. This is especially important when dealing with meat, as cooking it at too high or too low of a temperature can lead to it being tough or dry. Learning how to cook food at the right temperature will help you to produce perfectly cooked dishes every time. If you are looking to improve your overall cooking skills, then taking the time to learn about these various aspects of cooking is a great place to start. By taking the time to learn about

The Different Styles of Cooking

There are many different styles of cooking, each with its own unique flavor and technique. Whether you’re a fan of simple home cooking or gourmet cuisine, there’s a style of cooking out there for you. Here are just a few of the different styles of cooking that you might encounter: American: American cuisine is known for its simplicity and use of hearty ingredients. Common dishes include burgers, steak, and potatoes. Italian: Italian cuisine is all about using fresh, flavorful ingredients. Popular dishes include pasta, pizza, and risotto. French: French cuisine is often considered to be the pinnacle of fine dining. Dishes are typically rich and indulgent, making use of luxurious ingredients like butter, cream, and truffles. Japanese: Japanese cuisine emphasizes freshness and balance. Common dishes include sushi, sashimi, and tempura. Chinese: With a long history and many regional variations, Chinese cuisine is extremely diverse. Common dishes include noodles, rice, and dumplings.

How to Improve Your Cooking Skills

Are you interested in improving your cooking skills? Whether you’re a beginner just starting out, or a seasoned pro looking for ways to take your dishes to the next level, there are always new techniques and tips to learn. Here are a few ideas on how to improve your cooking skills: 1. Take classes. Whether it’s a short course at your local community college or cooking school, or a longer program at a university, taking classes is one of the best ways to learn more about cooking. You’ll not only get hands-on experience in the kitchen, but you’ll also learn from experienced instructors who can share their knowledge and expertise. 2. Read cookbooks and food blogs. A great way to learn more about cooking is to read books and articles on the subject. Look for recipe books that focus on the type of cuisine or cooking style that interests you, and try following along with some of the recipes. In addition to cookbooks, there are also many excellent food blogs out there that can provide inspiration and instruction. 3. Watch cooking shows and videos. If you’re more of a visual learner, another option is to watch cooking shows and videos. There are now many high-quality programs available online

There’s no denying that cooking is a useful skill to have. Not only can it help you save money by eating at home, but it can also be a great way to bond with friends and family. And who knows? Maybe someday you’ll even be able to turn your passion for cooking into a career. Whatever your reasons for wanting to learn how to cook, we hope this essay has inspired you to give it a try. Who knows? You might just surprise yourself with how much you enjoy it.

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The Joylessness of Cooking

By Helen Rosner

Kitchen utensils withering on the kitchen counter.

In theory, I love to cook . I’ve been reminding myself of this lately, repeating it almost like a mantra, humming the percussive, iambic rhythm of the phrase while I clatter around in the cabinets in search of whatever skillet is inevitably at the very bottom of a teetering stack of pans, or ram the blade of a knife through the stalks of yet another head of celery, or fling a handful of salt resentfully at a wholly blameless chicken. In theory, I love to cook.

To cook, as a home cook, isn’t just to cook—it’s to plan, to shop, to store, to prep, to combine, to heat, to serve. If I don’t love all those things, all the time, I can at least reliably expect a jolt of pleasure from one or two: the bland labor of chopping onion is paid for, more or less, by the rich smell of the stew as it simmers. But what I love most about cooking (in theory) is that it’s a puzzle to be solved. In its best form, cooking is a practice measured not in individual dishes but in days and even weeks—a strategic navigation of ingredients, expiration dates, uses and reuses, variety and sameness. I’m no good at chess, but in my mind the rush of realizing that the jumble of aging ingredients piled up in your fridge composes exactly what’s needed to make a beautiful dinner has to be, on some level, how Kasparov felt when he realized he was about to sock it to Topalov.

In March, when it began to seem likely that the coronavirus pandemic would lead to a serious bunker-style hiding out, I felt the expected fear and anger but also, I admit, a certain thrill at the idea of a major shift in the rules of the kitchen game. How do you make it work when you don’t know how often you’ll be able to grocery-shop? In early February, I had spoken, for a story , to a couple in Shunde, China, who had somehow been composing culinary sestinas in the midst of a strict lockdown, with minimal access to fresh ingredients; following their lead, in the weeks before New York City issued its own social-distancing mandates, I started growing my own herbs, bought jars in which to put up pickles, scoured cookbooks for recipes that used nothing but pantry ingredients and yet wouldn’t feel like military rations. We would be eating paella, I informed my husband, and cassoulet, and miso soup with homemade tofu, and fresh pasta, and Niçoise salads without the lettuce. We might be prisoners in our apartment, but at least we’d eat like kings.

Of course, that’s not how things went down. It became clear, almost right away, that, besides a few precarious weeks of toilet-paper shortages, any worries of major supply-chain disruptions were unfounded. If anything, by April, home cooks (at least, those whose incomes hadn’t evaporated when the nation began its economic domino-fall) had access to more and better ingredients than we’ve ever had before: as restaurants were forced into state- and city-imposed shutdowns, their suppliers started scrambling to sell their now-homeless inventory at retail, and often by mail. Steaks once destined for steak houses, chickens of rare and beautiful breeds, exquisite olive oils and vinegars by the gallon, gorgeous cheeses, freshly milled flours, a dazzling cornucopia of specialty fruits and vegetables—the sorts of rare and sensitive specimens that risk-averse grocery stores would never consider making space for—were suddenly available, and at shockingly attainable prices. During the past seven or eight months, my refrigerator has been stocked with the raw materials of fantasy; you could dive into my spice drawer like Scrooge McDuck into his swimming pool of doubloons. I’ve stir-fried Sichuan-style cumin lamb, made slow-roasted pernil asado, fired up pots of oil for a farmers’-market fritto misto; I spent the summer juicing limes and slicing fish for a nonstop parade of tart, light-as-air ceviches; I’ve made hundreds of dishes for hundreds of meals. And I am so bored. I am so tired. In theory, I love to cook. But I am so, so sick of cooking.

I take some comfort in knowing that I’m not at all alone in this feeling. “I hate cooking now, and I hate that I hate cooking,” my friend Sarah confessed to me recently, after months of making and eating meals by herself while her partner works a schedule that, thanks to COVID -19, means he’s never home for mealtimes. A recent Quartz report points to increased sales of prepared foods as evidence that COVID -related kitchen fatigue is a bona-fide trend. The critic Tejal Rao wrote recently, in the Times , about culinary burnout : “I don’t think I’m supposed to admit this here in the Food section, but when I think about cooking, I’m filled with dread.” My social-media feeds are full of individuals regarding their own culinary ennui with something adjacent to awe. “I don’t know what to make for school lunch. or for dinner. or for breakfast. i no longer know what i like to eat, what i know how to cook, what is healthy, what the children enjoy, or even what is actually edible,” the novelist Rumaan Alam tweeted recently. Others yearn for a sci-fi future where dinner is distributed in pellet form, or own up to subsisting on candy bars, or grudgingly admit to, finally, understanding the allure of zero-effort meal replacements like Soylent and nutritional drinks such as Carnation Breakfast Essentials® products. I keep thinking about a post from earlier in the fall (now deleted, but seared forever in my screenshots folder, and on my heart), which made the rounds among my friends: “gotten to the point with eating where i basically just want a nutrient slurry injected into me,” the Twitter user wrote.

Feelings of emptiness are normal, even expected, in times of stress and uncertainty. (“Stress and uncertainty” being at best a tiptoeingly diplomatic way to describe the experience of the past year in America, with its million and a half dysregulations, both ambient and immediate.) But isn’t cooking supposed to be a balm for this sort of thing? Much of the happiness I used to find in cooking—even when cooking became, sort of, my job—was rooted in how tangible it was, in both labor and outcome. Simple, repetitive, semi-creative tasks like kneading dough and chopping dill are supposed to thaw us when we’re frozen with existential dread, to ground us in the tactile world, to give us a sense of power and control over the small universe of the cutting board and the stovetop. This makes sense, I know it’s true, and I guess I remember living it, and believing it. But lately it feels awfully far away. I don’t want to re-center myself by being mindful while I peel a head of garlic for the hundred-and-thirtieth day in a row; I want to lose track of myself entirely by playing seventeen straight hours of a battle-strategy video game in which I get to be a military-school professor with magical powers and green hair.

Much has been made, in these months of the pandemic, of the wisdom to be found in “ How to Cook a Wolf ,” M. F. K. Fisher’s great guide, from 1942, to cooking and provisioning during the extreme shortages of the Second World War. I’ve always loved this sharp, snarky little book, particularly the way Fisher walks a tightrope between buck-up bonhomie and stark misanthropy. She doesn’t pretend that circumstances aren’t dismal well beyond the contents of her pantry—the wolf of the title is fatigue and anxiety as much as it’s hunger. But she makes a good case, in chapters like “How to Be Cheerful Through Starving” and “How to Rise Up Like New Bread,” for finding the fun in misery. “Here are some suggestions which sound touched with a kind of sordid whimsy until you try them,” she says, to introduce a list of alternative fuel sources culled from books dating back as far as the Victorian era. “Then they really work, and make you feel noble and brave at the same time.”

From the vantage point of abundance, this sentiment is inspiring; in an era of need and shortage, it’s timeless and practical. For me, right now, it makes me want to hurl a cabbage at the wall. (I’ve had a cabbage taking up space in my fridge for over a month now; this use for it seems as good as any.) Behind Fisher’s exhortations was an engine of higher purpose: the rationing of that era was a cost of fuelling a war, the sacrifices on the home front motivated by a narrative of patriotism and righteousness. The COVID -19 pandemic is sort of a war, but only in the most absurd and nihilistic way: the economy hasn’t been diverted to wartime production—it’s just in crisis. The people trying to make do with limited resources are in that position because they don’t have jobs or adequate (if any) governmental relief, not because all the butter is earmarked for our boys overseas taking down the Nazis. “I believe that one of the most dignified ways we are capable of, to assert and then reassert our dignity in the face of poverty and war’s fears and pains, is to nourish ourselves with all possible skill, delicacy, and ever-increasing enjoyment,” Fisher writes, beautifully, and to my great irritation. My enjoyment is anything but “ever-increasing.”

I actually have grown as a cook a fair amount during these months of social distancing: I’ve read some marvellous cookbooks; I know how to shuck an oyster now; I’ve mastered the art of slow-roasting a duck until the skin crackles and the meat is tender as a sigh. But the moments of glittering satisfaction are duller, and less frequent. I’ll try to muster up the thrill I used to feel after finding bundles of Chinese pink celery at the farmers’ market, or scoring a really excellent jar of jam, and it’s more like a memory of delight than the actual sensation. (And I can’t remember what I even used to make with jam—what on earth do people do with jam?) When I cook now, it’s not because I have to—though I realize this is a great luxury, to be able to give in to the lassitude and tap out, to order delivery saag paneer or (I refuse to be ashamed) crack open a soothing can of Beefaroni and leave the rest of my household to fend for themselves. (That I’ve ever been able to think of cooking as an unadulterated joy—that cooking gets to be a choice at all—is itself a privilege.) When I cook now, it’s because I ought to: it’s not a necessity driven by material limitation but, rather, an amorphous sense of moral imperative. In COVID -ravaged America, restaurant dining is still forbidden in some states; many establishments have closed forever, and ordering delivery from those that remain is an ethical minefield. Just when I started feeling like I might be up for the idea of bundling up to eat a wintry outdoor meal at a bistro table sandbagged in the middle of a parking lane, New York City’s infection rates started spiking again. Obligation, it turns out, is the real thief of joy; they wouldn’t make so many TV commercials featuring women who seem ludicrously happy to be doing laundry if endless compulsory domesticity didn’t slowly sandpaper away at the soul.

Compared to, well, everything, this crisis of culinary anhedonia is small beans. (I’ve been telling myself every day for a week that I should start soaking some beans. I have not soaked any beans.) But it feels all the more acute as we round the corner to Thanksgiving, a day that has come to rely on the terrible notion that a home-cooked meal is essential, and that the work of cooking it ought to be both all-consuming and undertaken without complaint. This is a lie in any year—not only is it perfectly fine not to make turkey, it’s perfectly fine to try and then fail, or to outsource the meal, or to reject the holiday altogether. This year, when the still-unchecked spread of the COVID -19 virus means that gathering in close quarters with loved ones seems reckless, and dangerous, the idea of cooking a grand, communal meal feels all the more dissonant. The sprawling multigenerational crew that populates my usual Thanksgivings will of course be celebrating separately; there are plans for a group video call, so that we can raise a glass to tradition, and for a while we considered a plan for everyone to make one recipe in common—a thread of a shared dish (mashed potatoes? Some sort of green-bean thing?) tying us together while we’re all so far apart. But that idea fizzled. We’ll eat our own meals in our own homes, and call one another to say hello and “I love you.” And then dinner will be over, and the leftovers from the meal will last a day or two or maybe three. And then we’ll all find ourselves back in front of the stove, cooking another dinner, all over again.

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Home / Essay Samples / Food / Cooking / Culinary Journey: Reflecting on My Cooking Experience

Culinary Journey: Reflecting on My Cooking Experience

Category: Food , Education , Life
Topic: Cooking , Learning Styles , Personal Experience

Pages: 4 (1792 words)

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Personal Perspective of Learning and the Curriculum

Criticism for and against informal learning, learning process, critical reflection-connecting with real world.

Fulya. D., K. (2009) Comparison of Hidden Curriculum Theories. European Journal of Educational Studies 1(2)
Kolb. D. (1983). Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source of Learning and Development.Prentice-Hall, New Jersey.
Laura. L. (n.d). Advantages of Informal Learning for Organisations. [Blog]
Noel, A. M. (2007). Elements of a winning field trip. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 44(1), 42-44.
Sager. M. (2013). Understanding the Hidden Curriculum Connecting Teachers to Themselves, Their Students, and the Earth. Leadership for Sustainability Education Papers. p7
Yavuz, T. M., & Balkan, K. F. (2017). The effect of hydroelectric power plants trip on students' conceptual understandings. Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 13(3), 1151-1172.

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